Four Letter Word
by MandyCakes
Summary: Daniel and Betty have been spending a lot of time together since her breakup. For some reason, Daniel can't seem to get his assistant off his mind. Bad summary, but its DB!
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: Obviously, I don't own Ugly Betty or any of its characters...promise :)

A/N: **Hi, Everybody. I know I haven't written in like...forever. But my last semester of college was a tough one and it was difficult for me to break away and write whenever I wanted to. However, I'm back for the summer and am really excited about all the Dettyness I've been saving up. Here's a little story I started before the season 2 finale...i'll likely incorporate events from the finale into the story. Hope ya like!**

Summary: Daniel's got a lot on his mind, so he stops by his psychiatrist's office for a little visit...(bad summary...it's DB of course).

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Daniel sighed deeply, glancing down at the plush carpet of the office that had become so familiar to him a few months ago. He sank down deeper into the leather sofa and ran his fingers along the edge of the armrest.

"Daniel?" the voice of his psychiatrist snapped him out of his thoughts. "Sorry," he grinned sheepishly, looking back at his doctor. "What seems to be troubling you today? I haven't seen you in a month," Dr. Jamison observed his patient carefully, pulling out his pen.

"I know. It's just- I've had a lot on my mind lately," Daniel admitted, letting his eyes drift to the window.

"A lot about Renee?" the doctor assumed, watching him clasp his hands together.

"No. Not Renee. It's someone else…my assistant."

"This assistant of yours…she persuaded you to see me initially, correct?"

"Yeah," Daniel nodded, "she's usually the only one that can get me to do _anything_." Dr. Jamison watched him glance down and smirk to himself. "And why do you think that is?"

"Because…she just- she just can. She's Betty," he shrugged, standing from his seat. The doctor scribbled a few notes, deciding to let Daniel speak. "I don't know why. I guess I don't wanna let her down. I don't want her to be disappointed in me. I hate seeing that look on her face," he stuffed his hands in the pockets of his Italian suit.

"Why? How does it make you feel?"

"It's a look that says she knows I'm better than that...that I'm not acting like the man she knows I can be. And what bothers me the most is that she can affect me so much with just one look. No one's ever been able to do that…not even my mom. I don't get it," Daniel explained, leaning up against the window.

"Hmm…I see. So when she looks at you that way what do you do?"

"I have to do better. I try to do things that put a smile on her face."

"Do you feel better when you do that?" the doctor peered over his glasses. Daniel nodded, "yeah. Knowing she's happy... makes me happy."

"That makes sense. You two are good friends right?"

"Right. We're good friends. She's the best friend I've ever had. The best I'll ever have," Daniel turned around at this point, crossing his arms.

"So why has this friend of yours been on your mind so much?"

"I don't know. She's had a lot going on lately. She just had a breakup with her boyfriend a few weeks ago…she's been pretty down about it. I've been worried about her so we've been spending more time together," he explained, starting to pace the office.

"What've you two been doing together?" Dr. Jamison watched Daniel's eyes widen at this question. "What? Just hanging out, you know…things friends do." He noticed Daniel seemed to get a little fidgety at this question and raised an eyebrow.

"What is it? Did I say something wrong?" Dr. Jamison wondered.

"No, it's just…when you said we'd been doing something together…" Daniel shook his head, blushing slightly. "I've been…having these dreams. About Betty," he admitted, rubbing the back of his neck.

"Are these dreams…sexual in nature?"

"No…not really...they're more intimate than anything. I'll have dreams where we'll be lying in bed kissing, or lounging on the couch together, or I'll be looking into her eyes, holding her close..." Daniel let out a sigh, his blue eyes meeting those of his doctor.

"And why do you think you're having those kind of dreams?"

"I don't know. Lately Betty's been making me feel…different. She'll smile at me, or I'll smell her shampoo, or she'll brush up against me…I don't know. She doesn't even know what she does to me," he said honestly.

"Hmm. Have you ever felt this way before?"

Daniel paused, becoming fascinated with his cufflinks. "No. But…that doesn't mean- it doesn't mean anything."

"Anything like what? What's it supposed to mean?" Dr. Jamison questioned, carefully watching his patient.

"It's…nothing. Betty and I are friends and- it's nothing." Daniel took a deep breath, shifting his weight.

"Well if you're sure it's nothing…" Dr. Jamison began.

"Yeah. Right. Well…I should probably be getting back to work," Daniel adjusted his tie, heading towards the door. "Oh. Alright then. Would you like to schedule another appointment?"

"Umm...you know...I think I'm okay. Betty's just been on my mind lately because of the extra time we've been spending together. All these thoughts I'm having...they'll go away. Right?" Daniel stood uncertainly, one hand on the door.

"If you're having these dreams because of your time spent together, I'd imagine they'd go away if you're not around her as much," Dr. Jamison proposed, standing from his seat. Daniel slowly nodded, as if he was thinking things through. "Do you want them to go away?"

Daniel glanced back up quickly, not expecting that question. He opened his mouth to respond, then realized he didn't have an answer. "I - I don't know. She makes me feel like..." he paused and shook his head, chuckling to himself. "Nevermind...it's crazy. Thanks for seeing me, Dr. Jamison. I have to get back to the office."

"Okay. Have a good afternoon," the older gentleman replied watching as Daniel closed the door behind him.

Dr. Jamison glanced down at his notes and grinned to himself. "It may not be as crazy as you think, Daniel."

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**Reviews are like Reese's Peanut Butter cups...I can't get enough!  
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	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: Obviously, I don't own Ugly Betty or any of its characters...promise :)

A/N: **Thank you so much for all the wonderful reviews! I'm glad everyone enjoyed the first chapter. By the way, I'm still working on **It Starts With a Kiss...**chapter 3 has been difficult to write but it will be up eventually. That's all- enjoy!**

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The elevators opened and Daniel stepped onto Mode's floor, still engrossed in thoughts of his assistant. So distracted, in fact, that he failed to notice a certain sandwich guy perched on the side of Betty's desk making small talk. Well, until he heard her laugh.

'Was he flirting with her?' Daniel wondered, then realized what a stupid thought that was. Of course he was flirting with her. According to Amanda, he had a major thing for Betty. But what did Amanda know, anyway? Betty laughed once more, lightly hitting Gio's arm. Daniel frowned slightly. He thought she only laughed like that for him. He didn't like it. Not one bit.

"Daniel, where have you been? That has to be the longest lunch you've ever taken," Betty glanced around Gio when he came into her line of sight.

"I was just uh...out. Guess I lost track of time," he replied coolly. "Oh...okay. Alexis wants to move the 1:30 meeting back to 2:00, and Jonah Stuart's rep called to confirm the photo shoot next week," Betty stood from her desk, handing him a few messages.

"Alright...sounds good. Hey Gio...how's it goin?" Daniel decided to acknowledge his presence. "Hey boss. Things are goin good. Thought I'd just swing by here, see how my favorite assistant's doin," Gio said, glancing at Betty with a look Daniel interpreted as affection.

"Hmm..." he nodded, noticing Betty blushed slightly. "Betty could you come here for a sec? I need to talk to you about...something," he beckoned her into his office, sitting his messages on the desk.

"What's up?" Betty wondered, glancing up at her boss. "You tell me. You and Gio seem to be getting close," he said, watching a small grin appear on her face. "Well...I guess. He's a nice guy."

Daniel nodded, sitting down. "What is it?" Betty wondered, crossing her arms.

"Nothing. I just- don't want you to jump into a relationship too fast, is all," he explained, gazing up at her. She giggled a little at him. "I think we're pretty far off from any relationship...but thanks for looking out, Daniel," she squeezed his arm a bit.

He chuckled to himself for the second time that hour. Maybe he was being a little paranoid. Gio was just being friendly. And who could blame the guy for having a thing for Betty? She was so sweet, and cute, and- wait a minute. Did he just think that?

"So are we still having our movie night tonight? I'm in the mood to see a thriller. How does that sound to you?"

Daniel snapped himself out of his thoughts and turned his attention back to Betty. "What? You mean you don't wanna see a romantic comedy?" he attempted to sound disappointed.

"Very funny. You know you love it when men get all sappy. You're like that deep down...just admit it," she leaned over the desk, teasing him. "Of course I am. So my place...7:30?" his blue orbs met hers hopefully. "Sure. I'll bring the popcorn," Betty smiled cheerfully, turning to leave.

Daniel grinned slightly, his eyes following her back to her desk where Gio was sitting patiently. He glanced back down at the articles on his desk, periodically glancing up to watch the two finish their conversation.'She's just getting to know Gio better...that's all. No big deal,' he reassured himself, then wondered _why_ he needed to reassure himself about matters pertaining to Betty's love life. What the hell was wrong with him?

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Looks like Daniel may need to make another appointment with Dr. Jamison pretty soon! Please review...I'm running out of Reese's cups!


	3. Chapter 3

Disclaimer: Obviously, I don't own Ugly Betty or any of its characters...promise :)

A/N: **Thanks for all the Reese's Peanut Butter cups...they make me happy! Enjoy the chapter!**

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Daniel stared at the images on his plasma TV, wanting nothing more than to focus on the plot of the movie. That usually wouldn't be too difficult a task, because usually Betty wasn't gripping his arm and burying her head in his shoulder every six minutes. But she was, and the close proximity wasn't making the thoughts of her less frequent. Betty flinched as someone on screen jumped out from around the corner with a knife. She inched closer to him, her long strands tickling his neck. No this wasn't helping at all.

"Regretting your movie choice yet?" he asked her quietly, seeing her chocolate eyes glance at him from behind her frames. "No...it's getting good," she replied, trying to act as if she hadn't been scared.

"Yeah right...you know you don't like the suspense," he smirked at her. "Well...no...I don't. But I can't watch anymore movies like The Notebook...I'm tired of crying. About everything," Betty let out a sigh, sitting the bowl of popcorn on small table in front of them.

Daniel let his gaze linger on her, watching as she adjusted the small blanket on her lap. "Betty...I'm sorry that you're still hurting. I know how much Henry meant to you. It's just gonna take some time to heal," he told her, studying her profile. She nodded slightly, "I know. It's getting better...but sometimes I start thinking about it and- you know. It's just hard," her voice had gotten low.

Daniel nodded in understanding, watching as she took another deep breath. She glanced at him, grinning slightly. "I'm sorry I even started talking about it, Daniel. I didn't mean to bum you out," Betty said, looking over at her boss.

"You know you can talk to me about anything. No need to apologize," he reassured her. She placed her hand over his, giving it a squeeze. "Thanks for being here for me, Daniel. You're a great friend." Daniel felt his heart rate increase by a pace or two as the sincerity of Betty's words reached his ears.

He lightly touched her cheek, tracing the features illuminated by the intermittent glow from the television. "He doesn't know what he's missing, Betty. You're so-" Betty jumped slightly, and both glanced down. Betty's phone was on vibrate. After a few seconds of searching through the sofa cushion, she finally managed to find it and flip it open just in time.

"He- Hello? Umm...yeah..."

Daniel looked at the tv, letting out a deep breath as Betty continued her conversation. He leaned forward, grabbing his soda and smelling it slightly. Had he put alcohol in here? He didn't know what had gotten into him.

"Umm...Daniel?" Betty's voice broke his chain of thought. He looked up at her expectantly. "I have to get back home. Dad's not feeling well," she explained.

"Oh okay. Umm...I'll call the town car," he stood, grabbing his cell. "Okay. Thanks Daniel," she said, folding up the small blanket she was using moments before. Daniel finished the quick call and closed his phone. "He's around the corner. He'll be here in a few minutes," he told her.

"Sorry our movie night was cut short," she apologized, as they rode the elevator down. "No big deal, Betty. I just hope Ignacio feels better."

"Yeah...me too," Betty replied, gazing up at him for longer than she intended. It seemed like something else was on her mind. "What is it?" Daniel asked, seeing her hesitant look. The elevator reached ground floor and opened. He followed her out, seeing the towncar pulling up to the curb. She shrugged after a moment, "it's nothing. I'll see you Monday," she tiptoed and gave him a quick hug.

"Okay. Bye," he watched her climb into the backseat with ease and give him a final wave. Daniel let out a large sigh, stuffing his hands in his pockets and walking back into the elevator. His mind drifted back to the moment on the couch. He had a feeling that's where Betty's mind was and why she was so hesitant. How could he let himself get so caught up in the moment?

He was about to tell Betty how beautiful she was...how she deserved better. How he... "Oh my God," realization shook him processed his thoughts. He ran a hand over his face as he reached his front door.

He needed to call Dr. Jamison. Now.

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Dr. Jamison tapped his pen lightly on the hardwood desk before him, watching his client pace the office. He seemed a bit agitated and kept sighing uncomfortably. He'd been so intent on meeting with him first thing this morning, but he looked like he was in a continuous state of deep thought. "Daniel...why don't you have a seat?" the doctor finally suggested, motioning toward the plush sofa.

Daniel reluctantly did what he was told, bringing a head to his forehead. "What's on your mind? You seem so distraught."

"It's Betty. I just- we were together last night...just watching a movie. We've done it plenty of times before. But...it was different this time."

"How was it different?" Dr. Jamison questioned.

"We were talking and then she looked at me...and it was like I was seeing her for the first time. She's so beautiful..." the awe in Daniel's blue eyes caused Dr. Jamison to grin briefly. "Hmm...I see," the doctor nodded ever so slightly, jotting down a note here and there.

"I realized something. I know why she has such an affect on me. Why no one else can make me feel the way she does."

"And what's that?" he peered over his glasses as Daniel took a deep breath.

"I love her. I'm in love with Betty."

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A/N: **Wow...looks like someone's finally decided to take the denial hat off. Will our psychiatrist guide Daniel in the right direction or make things worse? Find out soon :D  
**

I'm starving for reviews, so leave me one! Thanks.


	4. Chapter 4

Disclaimer: Obviously, I don't own Ugly Betty or any of its characters...promise :)

A/N: **Sorry the chapter took so long...I'm having a bit of writer's block on this story but hopefully I can get the plotBunnies in my head to get busy again. This chapter is kind of a filler for the extra stuff that will be happening later. Thanks for the great reviews...enjoy the chapter :o)  
**

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Monday morning came around sooner than Daniel had expected, and with it came a wave of anxiety about seeing Betty. He'd done some serious thinking over the weekend about his recent revelation, and was still torn between confessing his feelings or keeping them to himself.

If he told her how he felt and she didn't feel the same, things would most definitely be awkward between them- he didn't want to do that to their friendship. But on the other hand, Daniel couldn't help but wonder if she had developed feelings for him too. Was it possible that she felt the same way?

Daniel strolled toward his office, noticing she had beat him to work as usual, but wasn't at her desk. He moved a little closer to her work area, grinning at the colorful schedule she'd planned out for him this week.

"Morning, Daniel...what you grinning about?" he looked up at the sound of her voice. His stomach did a backflip when he saw her smile.

It was so obvious to him now- the feeling in the pit of his stomach when she was around, the jealousy he felt when she'd mention Henry, and the fact that seeing her smile made each day worthwhile. How could he have ignored the way he felt for so long?

"Just admiring your handiwork. How's your dad?" he wondered, turning to walk into his office. "He's fine...it was just a stomach bug," Betty sat his bagel and coffee down on his desk. "That's good," he picked up his coffee and took a sip.

"Hmm...perfect. Thanks Betty," Daniel smirked over the rim of his cup, watching as she raised her brow in suspicion.

"You certainly seem chipper this morning. Are you up to something?" she rested her hands on her hips. "Not anymore than I'm usually up to," he shrugged, watching her chuckle.

"Hey do you wanna umm...go to lunch with me today? Your choice," Daniel asked, feeling nervous. "Can I take a raincheck? Gio and I kind of already have plans," Betty told him.

"Oh. So like...a date?" he held his breath. "I thought about what you told me the other night. You're right. I can't keep moping around about Henry. It's time for me to have a little fun," she explained, "that's why I decided to take Gio up on his offer."

He saw the determined look on her face. Maybe she didn't feel that way about him...maybe his feelings were one-sided. Daniel finally took a seat at his desk, giving her a small smile. "That's...great, Betty. I'm sure you'll have a good time."

Betty couldn't help but notice the tone of his voice had changed. Daniel glanced up from his paperwork after a few seconds, noticing she hadn't replied. "What is it?" he wondered as she crossed her arms.

"You don't like Gio, do you?" he scoffed at her question. "No...I don't have a problem with Gio," Daniel replied, becoming uncomfortable under her intense gaze. _It's not that I don't like Gio...I just love you, Betty. _"I think he's...a nice person."

"But..." Betty beckoned him to continue, motioning her hand. He shrugged, "but nothing, Betty. Really." Daniel recognized the look in her eyes as skepticism. She opened her mouth to speak, but saw Daniel avert his eyes to the doorway.

"Hello...I'm sorry to interrupt...are you Daniel Meade?" a medium build middle aged man asked. Daniel stood from his desk, walking around to address the man.

"I'm Mr. Meade. What is this in regards to?" he glanced into Betty's eyes, the confusion he felt mirrored in hers.

"There's someone that needs to see you." It was then he noticed a small boy standing at the entrance to the office. The young, blond haired boy started speaking French. "His name is Daniel. He says he came all the way from Paris to find his father. His mother's name is Lucie Shannon...she just died," the man translated for Daniel and Betty, who both nodded slowly in understanding.

"I'm sorry to...hear that," Daniel told him, feeling as if he'd heard that name before.

"His mother wrote him a letter telling him that Daniel Meade was his father," Daniel felt the blood drain from his face. He let out a nervous laugh and shook his head. "What? No...I think there's been some mistake," he replied.

Betty frowned up at him, "Daniel!" she whispered, admonishing him. "Betty, this kind of thing happened to my father all the time. Someone's just trying to get some money," he wanted to ignore the disappointment on her face, but he couldn't. He let out a sigh, glancing down at the young boy who was staring up at him with hopeful eyes.

He couldn't be his son...could he? "If you're so sure, get a paternity test to rule yourself out," she advised him, glancing back at little Daniel with a small smile.

"Just don't turn him away...you're not that kind of person, Daniel." She stared up at him, her big brown eyes affecting him like nothing else. She was right...as usual.

"Alright... i'll get a test," he said, caving in. Like saying no to Betty was even an option.

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What will Daniel do about his newfound feelings now that he's got more important issues at the forefront of his mind?

I LOVE reading your reviews...please leave me one!


	5. Chapter 5

Disclaimer: Obviously, I don't own Ugly Betty or any of its characters :)

A/N: **Sorry guys...life (medical school) got in the way of me updating and actually being motivated to do so. You guys are awesome...thanks for reviewing. There's another chapter coming up right behind this one :o)  
**

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Dr. Jamison leaned his head back on his expensive leather chair, closing his eyes momentarily. It had been a long week, and like most hardworking adults on Friday afternoons, he was ready to head home.

"Dr. Jamison?" his assistant's voice sounded through the intercom. "Your 3:30 is here." He stood from his desk, pushing the button. "Thanks, Kelly. Send him in." He walked from behind his desk, opening the office door. As expected, a few moments later his patient appeared.

"Daniel," the doctor extended his hand, "come on in. Have a seat." Dr. Jamison closed the door behind him, watching a surprisingly casually dressed Daniel Meade sit on the couch.

"So how're things going? I got a little concerned when I hadn't heard from you in awhile," Dr. Jamison cleaned his glasses briefly, then rested them on the bridge of his nose.

"I know...I meant to come sooner, it's just- things have been happening, is all," the younger man replied. "What kind of things?"

Daniel leaned forward, resting his forearms on his thighs and clasping his hands together. "Where do I begin? Well, a few weeks ago, a little boy came into Meade Publications claiming that I was his father. His mother just passed away and her dying wish was for her son to meet the man he never knew. I was skeptical to believe anything initially, but Betty...well, she convinced me to get a paternity test. I got the results back last week and it confirmed what he was saying. I am his father," he rubbed his temple, his blue eyes cast downward.

Dr. Jamison nodded slowly, raising an eyebrow. This _was_ unexpected. "And...how are you feeling about all of this?"

Daniel shrugged and shook his head slightly. "I don't know. I'm upset because of the time we've lost. If I had been more responsible then, more caring...then we probably wouldn't be in this situation. And I'm scared. I don't have a clue about how to be a father. My father was so cold...so strict. I don't want to be like that. I want to be there for him. I want him to know how much I love him. My father wasn't exactly good at saying that so I really don't know where to begin," he stood, stuffing his hands in his jeans pockets and walking over to the window.

"Hmm...I see. Well it sounds like you're ready to take on some serious responsibility. Have you two had anytime to spend together?"

"Yeah. He's starting to warm up to me. He's never had a father and I've never had a son so it's new. But I think we can make it work."

"That's good, Daniel. You mentioned Betty convinced you to get the test. Have you told her how you feel about this? Or your feelings for her?" Dr. Jamison watched him let out a sigh and cross his arms over his chest. "No not...not so much."

"Why not?" he was curious to hear this explanation. "I don't want to be a burden to her. She always seems to be wrapped up in some of my family drama..."

"Did she give any indication that she _didn't_ want to be there for you?" Dr. Jamison wondered, making a quick note to himself on a small pad. "Well...no," Daniel answered honestly, rubbing the back of his neck. "Betty's always there for me. That's just the kind of person she is."

The doctor observed his patient and the faraway look in his blue eyes when Betty's name was mentioned. He'd never met nor seen this Betty, but it was clear she'd stolen this man's heart. "So if you know she'll be there for you, why not try to talk to her?"

"I think I need to distance myself from Betty right now. It's pretty obvious she simply sees me as a friend and until I get a grip on my feelings, it's probably for the best."

"May I ask what makes it so obvious that she sees you as a friend?" Dr. Jamison rested a hand on his chin. He wasn't quite convinced.

"Well for one, she's started dating someone exclusively. I know he has feelings for her and she seems to like him as well. And...Betty would never go for a guy like me. Sure I seem to be this eligible bachelor with a publishing empire, but when it comes down to it...I'm not good enough for her," he said in resignation, his eyes drifting back to the window and the city below.

"You seem fairly certain that you're not good enough for her. Any particular reason why?"

"Betty is probably the most honest, kind, and caring person I have ever met. I'm not sure if I can give her what she deserves," Daniel admitted, rubbing a hand over his face.

"Are you always this critical of yourself?"

"I don't know," he bit his lip. "I need to learn how to be a father first before I can think about my feelings for Betty."

"She _is_ your friend. You don't think she could help you with that?"

"Maybe. Who knows," Daniel let out a gruff sigh, making his way back to the couch.

"Daniel, let me give you a bit of advice from both a psychiatrist's and a much older man's standpoint: keeping your feelings bottled up may seem like a good idea right now, but trust me, you're only hurting yourself in the end. The feelings that you have for Betty aren't going to go away quickly...I can tell. Now I'm not suggesting you tell her tomorrow, but eventually... you need to," Dr. Jamison met Daniel's eyes. Daniel still didn't look too sure of himself, but Dr. Jamison could see he was thinking about it.

"I just don't want anything to ruin our friendship. It means a lot to me," Daniel admitted after a few moments.

"I know it does," Dr. Jamison scratched his temple. "But if the relationship you two have is half as strong as I gather it is, do you really think she'd stop being your friend because of the way you feel?"

He let out a long sigh and shrugged, clasping his hands together. That was what scared him...he didn't know.

"You have to decide what's best in the long run. For you, for Betty...and now for your son. I've already told you what I think. The question is...what are you gonna do?"

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**What did you think of this chapter? Do you think I should increase the pace of this story or keep it as is? Please do let me know and thanks for reviewing! **


	6. Chapter 6

Disclaimer: Obviously, I don't own Ugly Betty or any of its characters :)

A/N: **You guys know by now, Schoolwork + Writer's Block = Lack of Updates**.** School is coming to an end in a few weeks, (YAY!) so hopefully this won't be an issue this summer. After reading some reviews and thinking about it, I did decide to increase the pace of the story a bit, but I promise I won't skip any good details. Thanks for all the wonderful reviews, guys! You're the best :0) **

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"What the heck is going on with you?"

Daniel stared down at her, into the fiery brown eyes looking up at him. Her arms were crossed over her chest, eyebrows furrowed, and lips pursed in a way that made her all the more cute. He bit back an amused grin and closed his front door behind her. Apparently, she'd made it her mission to come see him first thing on a Saturday morning. Needless to say, he was more than a bit surprised to see her when he'd sleepily answered the door.

"Well good morning to you too, Betty," he replied back, getting a classic eye roll in return. "You want something to drink? Maybe some breakfast?" he offered, knowing he was annoying her.

"Daniel! You didn't answer my question."

"Betty, nothing's going on with me. You know I've been preoccupied."

"Preoccupied is one thing, but totally avoiding me is a whole other issue! It's been more than a month since you found out about DJ and you have yet to have a real conversation with me," she threw her hands up in frustration.

"I'm not avoiding you. I just have a lot on my mind, that's all," he replied, glancing away and walking to the couch.

"And you can't talk to me about it at all? I thought we were friends."

Daniel looked at her, the guilt washing over him like a sudden downpour. He _had_ been shutting her out. Mostly because he was trying to guard his feelings for her. She was used to him telling her practically everything. He hadn't exactly been communicative the last several weeks, and that was pretty selfish on his part.

"Betty...I'm sorry, okay? We _are_ friends. I just...I need to try to deal with this alone. Don't think I don't appreciate your concern...cause I do," he walked back over to her, resting his hands on her shoulders.

She let out a sigh, her eyes drifting from his to his large living room window and back. "I guess I just- miss talking to you. And being there for you," Betty admitted, her voice softening a bit.

Daniel swallowed hard. She missed him? "You do?" he asked, wondering if she could hear his heart pounding.

"Of course I do," she answered sincerely. "What's that look for?"

"What look?" Daniel reluctantly moved his hands off of her arms. "You looked surprised when I said I missed you."

"Oh," he tried to stuff his hands in his sweatpants, then immediately realized the pair he was wearing wasn't equipped with pockets. He crossed his arms instead. _Way to stay cool, Meade._

"Well... you _have_ been spending a lot of time with Gio," he pointed out.

"And..." Betty prompted him to continue. "I don't know. I just guessed you didn't have time to miss me nowadays. Does this mean I'm better company than him?" Daniel cocked his head to the side, watching her let out a giggle.

"No, silly. You know, if you'd been having regular conversations with me, you'd know that Gio and I stopped dating a couple weeks ago," Betty told him, watching surprise wash over his face.

"You...did? Why?" Daniel wondered, bringing a hand to his chin and trying to suppress the urge to break out into song.

"Different reasons," she began with a sigh, "he's a nice guy and all, just not what I'm looking for."

"I see," he nodded, meeting her gaze, wondering if he was the kind of man she was looking for.

"The bottom line is, I miss my friend," she put her hands on her hips, "what are you gonna do about that?" Betty smirked, putting an end to his thoughts.

"Hmm...surely I can make it up to you somehow?" Daniel asked, a mischievous glint flickered across his blue eyes.

"What did you have in mind?"

"How about you, me, and DJ go out for a late lunch today? Then we'll do something later this week. I promise," he proposed, seeing her nod in approval.

"I guess that'll do." Her smirk slowly turned into a full blown smile and he felt the butterflies in his stomach go wild.

"So how late is late lunch? Is it around the same time as early dinner?" she wondered aloud, making him laugh. "Yeah...I guess. Four o'clock...maybe four thirty-ish. Does that sound good to you?"

"Sounds great," she picked her purse up from the table and put in on her shoulder. "Look, I didn't mean to sound so harsh earlier, it's just-"

"No, no...it's fine." he interrupted her, "I've been acting more like a boss than a friend lately. I deserved it." Daniel replied, a grin on his face.

Betty shrugged her shoulders and blushed slightly, "if you say so."

"Okay...so I'll swing by and pick you up later," he followed her to the door, leaning against it.

"Alright. I'll go home now and let you and DJ watch Saturday morning cartoons. Can't break tradition, now can we?" she said, walking down the hall. He laughed at her and shook his head, still grinning long after she disappeared from view.

* * *

"Ooh…I love this place!" Betty grinned at the restaurant as she stepped out of the town car.

"You do? Huh. I had no idea," Daniel commented with a grin, sarcasm lacing his voice. "Ha ha. How'd you know?" she was curious. "I think you mentioned it once. It's no secret complex carbohydrates are your comfort foods."

"Hmm. Good point," she smiled, letting him lead her and DJ into the restaurant. "Mr. Meade, nice to see you again," the host recognized him immediately. "Right this way, sir," he led them to their seats.

"_J'aime des pates_...umm pasta, Papa," DJ commented as they were handed their menus. "I know, me too. You have umm..._bon gout_. Good taste," DJ grinned and took a sip of his water.

"I see your French is getting a little better," Betty told Daniel. "I don't know...it's ok but I think I sound terrible," Daniel told her.

"It'll take some time...but you'll get it," Betty reassured him.

"I can always count on you for the confidence vote. Thanks," he said appreciatively.

"So how is everyone?"

"They're fine. Hilda's salon is doing well and Papi likes his new job. Justin's really excited about this play at school. I forgot the name, but...the important thing is he's having fun," she said, sounding content.

"Good. Glad to hear it. If Justin is interested in shadowing or a summer internship just let me know. I'm sure I can hook him up with something," Daniel offered. "That'd be great. I'll let him know," she replied as the waiter returned to take their order.

They continued to chat, mostly about work, the weather, plans for the next issue. DJ seemed to have a knack for making Betty smile, a sight Daniel couldn't get enough of. He'd caught himself looking at her for a moment too long more than once, and blushed when he realized he was.

The car ride to Betty's apartment was filled with comfortable silence and the occasional music from DJ's PSP game. Daniel glanced over at Betty, who seemed to be focused on something outside. He admired her profile for a moment, her smooth olive complexion, wide eyes and full lips caused a sigh to escape from his lips. The urge to touch and hold her was so strong. And it scared him.

His slight movement made Betty turn in his direction, the object beyond the window long forgotten. "What's wrong?" she asked, noticing he looked a little uncomfortable. "Huh? Oh, nothing. Just thinking," he turned back to her. "Sure you were," Betty answered with a grin.

"You don't believe me? I'm highly offended by that," Daniel feigned hurt. "Right," she rolled her eyes as the car came to a stop. "Wow...here already?" Betty glanced out his window.

"I guess so," Daniel said, getting out and opening the door for her. "Bye DJ. I'll see you later, okay?" DJ gave Betty a hug as she stepped out of the car. Daniel walked inside her building, getting in the elevator with her. "So...did you have a good time?" he questioned, watching her nod. "Absolutely. The food was delicious and the company wasn't half bad either," she said.

Betty glanced over at him, noticing he looked lost in thought again. "Daniel, I'm not gonna let you go until you tell me what has you so preoccupied," she held his gaze as they walked toward her door.

He stepped inside her brightly decorated apartment, watching as she closed the door behind them. She sat her keys and purse to the side and crossed her arms. "Well...I'm waiting. Go ahead," Betty told him.

Daniel looked into the chocolate eyes staring him down, just daring him to lie. "I was thinking about us. Our friendship, I mean," he answered hesitantly. That wasn't exactly what he was thinking about, but it wasn't a lie.

"Oh," she uncrossed her arms, softening her tone a bit. "What about our friendship?" Betty raised an eyebrow.

"It's funny how things change. And how people change..." Daniel realized he wasn't making a lot of sense. "What I'm trying to say...it means a lot to me. I don't want you to ever doubt how much I care for you, okay?"

Betty seemed to be taken aback by his words. "I wouldn't do that," she took a step forward, placing a hand on his arm. "Where's all this coming from?"

He'd already said too much. That's all she was gonna hear tonight. "No where, really. Just something that was on my mind," he studied her perceptive gaze, watching her nod.

"Okay. Guess I won't hold you hostage, then," she, laughed lightly, making an attempt at breaking the tension that had settled over them.

"Alright. See you on Monday," he said, welcoming her hug apprehensively. "Thanks again...see you later," Betty gave him a smile, watching as he walked downstairs. Her smile faded as she closed the door, and she leaned against it.

Finally alone with her thoughts, she couldn't get Daniel's explanation out of her mind. She rubbed her temple as she felt a headache coming on, and decided to call it an early night.

-db-db-db-

**Okay, this chapter ended up being a lot longer than I intended, but the plot bunnies are hard at work! Please leave a review **:0)


	7. Chapter 7

**Hey guys! Sorry it's taken me so long to update, but I've almost got this story done. Here's another installment of this story...things are starting to heat up for our two lovebirds. As always, please tell me what you think. Thanks!  
**

* * *

Betty sat her her desk, trying to finish a few things up before lunch. Something caught her attention in her peripheral vision as Daniel strode toward her. She glanced in his direction and gave him a smile, "how was the meeting?"

"Fine," he said with a sigh, "once we re-evaluate our budget, I think everything will be okay." He stood in place, watching her for a moment.

"Good," she finished typing, turning in her chair to give him her full attention.

"So..." he sat on the edge of her desk,"got any plans for Thursday?"

Betty let out a small laugh, finding Daniel's pose against her desk amusing. "Umm...no. Why do you ask?" she was curious now, especially by the way he was acting.

"Well, I did make you a promise. We were supposed to do something last week, but …well you work here. Things got a little hectic," Daniel told her.

"Hmm so you did remember," Betty gave him a sideways glance, smirking.

"Of course I did. Why wouldn't I?" he asked.

"You hadn't mentioned anything, that's all. I started to wonder if you had become "preoccupied" again," she said cynically, standing from her chair.

Daniel looked down at her and shook his head. "I guess I deserved that one," he said. "I'm joking, Daniel. Did you have something in mind?"

"Actually, I was thinking maybe we could go ice skating," he suggested with a wide grin.

Betty cringed. "Haven't I told you my ice skating horror story? I'm not exactly good at it," she reminded him.

"Yeah I remember, but I'm practically a pro. This will be a good opportunity for me to help you," Daniel said.

"You're a pro huh?" she laughed.

"Yeah, of course. Come on, it'll be fun," he prodded.

She looked into his child-like blue eyes and let out a sigh. "Okay, fine we can go, but no leaving me on the ice by myself," Betty held a finger up. He nodded, "I promise."

"So where we going?"

"Down to Rockefeller, of course," Daniel replied if it were obvious.

"Oh, of course," Betty mocked him with a grin.

"We can get a bite to eat afterward if you want," he suggested.

"Sure, okay. As long as we won't have to take a trip to the hospital beforehand," she crossed her arms over her chest.

"You're going to be fine. I'll pick you up at six," he smiled, walking into his office with more pep in his step than she'd noticed before. She felt a little peppy herself.

-

After what she had considered entirely too long on deciding what to wear and ignoring teasing texts from Hilda about her "hot date" with Daniel, Betty pulled her hair back into a ponytail and grabbed a light jacket. Her cell phone rang right on cue, and she was halfway out the door when she flipped it open.

"Hey," she answered.

"Hey...I'm here. You ready?" his voice sounded in her ear.

"Yep. Walking down the stairs as I speak."

Betty stepped outside her building, seeing Daniel standing outside of his town car.

"My, don't you look casual," she said with a smirk. It wasn't everyday she saw Daniel Meade in jeans. And that wasn't a bad thing.

He smiled at her, opening the door. "Ooh, special treatment. Thank you Mr. Meade," Betty scooted into the seat, sliding over when he climbed inside.

"You look nice. This is new," he took in her outfit, playing with her ponytail.

"Thanks," she blushed. "So you ready for all the excitement?" he asked.

"Hmm…I hope so."

They got to the rink about a half hour later. Daniel helped Betty with her skates and led her onto the ice. "Oh gosh," he heard her say, glancing at her and the apprehensive look in her eyes.

"It's fine just hold on to me. Don't forget to move your feet," he advised. She let out a nervous laugh.

"Right. Feet," Betty started to mimic his movements, staying on balance a little better.

Daniel couldn't help but to smile at her. "See? It's not so bad."

"Maybe n-ooh!" Betty felt her left foot slipping out from under her, grabbing on to Daniel for dear life.

"Easy," he grabbed her before she fell, steadying her. She looked at him sheepishly through her glasses.

"My bad," she grinned.

"It's okay. Just do what I do," he took her hand, watching her look at his feet. "There you go. You'll be promoted to intermediate in no time," he told her after about ten minutes with a chuckle.

Betty rolled her eyes, "ha-ha."

They continued to skate around the rink together, light laughter escaping Betty's lips as she attempted to skate without his assistance. She even did a little twirl. It was an unsuccessful twirl that ended with her on the ice, but an attempt nonetheless. Daniel laughed, grabbing her hands and pulling her up.

"Thanks," she said, trying to ignore the warm feeling coursing through her veins at his touch.

"What is it?" Daniel wondered. He could tell something was on her mind.

Betty shook her head, "it's nothing…well, no it's just that… some people might consider this a little weird," Betty replied, holding on to his hand as he led her around the rink.

"What's that?" Daniel glanced back at her, the faintest blush on her cheeks.

"Well…me and you…ice skating. Together..." she began to explain.

"Oh," he understood.

"You're my boss, I'm your assistant. You know- some people might think…. I mean Hilda was actually teasing me about our hot date tonight. Not that I told her it was or anything. Colleagues hang out outside of work all the time. We're not any different."

"We're not?" Daniel interrupted her rant, slowing his speed so they were side by side.

"Well…no. No not really. Besides, the thought of us on a date would seem... absurd to some people." She looked over at the pensive look on his face.

"What people?" he asked. Betty looked over at him with a raised eyebrow.

"You know, _people. Mode_ people. Regular-eating people…" she trailed off.

"Yeah but isn't that kind of what this is? A date I mean?" Daniel questioned.

Betty looked surprised at the question. She shrugged, keeping her eyes on her skates. "I don't know. Maybe," Betty quietly replied.

"I asked you what your plans were, picked you up, and took you out. And we're grabbing a bite to eat after. I guess it could kind of be one. You think?" he squeezed her hand, looking over at her.

"I guess it could," she looked up from the ice, finding his blue orbs studying her.

"Do you… want it to be?" he wondered, swallowing hard.

Betty felt slightly flustered at the look in his eyes, and automatically gripped his arms tighter. "Whoa…don't worry. I'm not gonna let you fall, promise," Daniel's hands rested on her waist.

Big brown eyes stared into his, as Betty tried to remember a time when they had been bluer than in that moment. "Do you?" she finally formed the words that had popped into her head, her voice registering above a whisper.

Betty was swimming in his eyes, so deep in fact, that she'd failed to register that his thumb was gliding across her jaw line ever so carefully. Betty was acutely aware in that moment that she wanted to know what his lips felt like on hers. He gazed at her then, _really _gazed at her, as if he was trying to memorize all of her features.

Daniel had looked at Betty plenty of times, but never from this close, and never this carefully. Maybe that's why, in that moment, he had to remind himself to breathe.

"Yeah…I do," he replied, his heart thumping in his chest. He slightly tilted her chin upward, leaning down to meet her full lips. Daniel kissed her slow and deep and with every fiber of his being. She responded to his advances, grabbing one of the lapels of his wool coat to bring him closer. He reluctantly broke the kiss when air became a necessity, staring down into her innocent looking eyes.

It wasn't until after his lips left hers, in the quiet moments after their kiss that Betty registered what 'I do' was in reference to. He wanted their non-date to be a date-date? Well what did that mean?

"Umm…" Betty let out a breath, trying to get her mind working again. That kiss was so…

"Betty," he studied her. She was freaking out, he just knew it. "You alright?"

Alright? That's one way to put it. "Umm…yeah. I, uh…I'm fine." Lies. All lies. And he knew it.

"Okay," Daniel replied. "You umm…want to eat?"

Betty's eyes were on a mission to avoid his at all costs. "Well uh…could I maybe just…get a raincheck on dinner? Would you mind?" she asked, instantly regretting the question after meeting his eyes. 'What was she even saying?'

Daniel had really done it this time. 'Way to go, Meade.' He thought. "Uh, yeah sure. No problem," he answered awkwardly. He wrapped his arm around hers, leading her off the ice.

He'd just managed to screw up a delightfully perfect evening with his best friend. He could be such an idiot sometimes. How was he going to fix this one?

* * *

**THanks for sticking with this story...hope you liked this one...let me know what you think!**


	8. Chapter 8

Daniel stepped off of the elevators in a hurry, anxious to get to work early so he could talk to Betty about what happened. He stopped in his tracks when he noticed she wasn't there.

That was odd, he was running late himself and she was always there on time. He turned on his heel and went back to the front desk.

"Hey Amanda," she glanced up from her magazine.

"Hey," she gave him a little wave, "I'm guessing you're looking for your little chimichanga. She called in sick. Not gonna make it in today. Need help with something?" Amanda wondered.

Betty was sick? She seemed fine last night. Other than flustered about what happened. He hoped he hadn't scared her away.

"Hellooo?" Amanda tried to get his attention.

"Uh, sorry. No I don't. Thanks Amanda," he looked through his blackberry. No missed calls or texts. He pushed speed dial 1. Four rings and then her voicemail. "Hey Betty. It's me. Umm, Amanda told me that you had called in. I hope you feel better. Just let me know if you need anything. Talk to you later. Bye." He ended the call.

Maybe she really was sick. Daniel rolled his eyes at himself. He'd have to check on Betty at lunch. They were in for a busy morning.

- - -

"Hello Daniel. How've you been?" Dr. Jamison gave him a smile.

Daniel let out a sigh, crossing his arms. "I've really done it this time, doc."

"You'll have to be more specific, you know," he replied.

"I-we...we kissed. Betty and I kissed. I don't know what I was thinking. I mean I know what I was thinking, I just...I think I freaked her out," Daniel stumbled over his words.

"Why do you say that?"

"Well, she called in sick to work today and she's not taking any of my calls. I went to her apartment and there was no answer. I don't know what to do," he shrugged, running a hand through his well-gelled hair.

"What brought about this kiss?" the doctor pulled out his pen.

"I told Betty I was going to take her out. So we went ice skating. We got to talking about some things. Some things about us...and it just…happened."

"And how did you feel?"

"Like we were alone on the ice. I've never felt anything like it. But it was the most natural thing in the world…to be there with her, like that." Daniel had glanced down at his hands. "I totally blew it."

"Wait, wait ...why are you assuming you blew it? She could very well not be feeling well."

"I guess," he shrugged.

"Did she kiss you back?"

He nodded, "yeah. It was amazing."

"So that means she obviously wanted to kiss you. No one was making her kiss you back. Unless I misunderstood part of the situation," Dr. Jamison noted, smirking at his patient.

"I guess that's true."

"So don't be so hard on yourself, Daniel. We talked about this last time. I would give her some space. Let her think about some things. Don't dwell on it," he advised.

"Okay. Maybe I'll-" Daniel felt his phone ringing. "Sorry about that," he looked at the number, not recognizing it immediately. "Excuse me," he answered. "Hello? Wait, slow down, what?"

The doctor watched the young man's face go from perplexed to worried. "She's what? No, I'll be right there." Daniel was already standing.

"I'm sorry, I have to go. Something's come up. It's Betty," he grabbed his coat.

"What's wrong?" the doctor was alarmed himself.

"She's in the hospital," Daniel replied with fear in his eyes, already out the door.

- -- -

**Yeah, this is short...sorry. Next chapter will be longer. Review please :o)**

**And I know lots of my stories revolve around going to the hospital or hospital scenes, but being that I'm a medical student, my mind automatically goes there...I can't help it...  
**


	9. Chapter 9

**Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters, etc, etc...

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Daniel's pulse was racing as he entered the emergency room, immediately spotting Hilda and Ignacio in chairs.

"Hilda," he said her name, walking over to the two of them. "What's going on? I've been trying to get in touch with her all day and-"

"Daniel, breathe for a second, okay?" Ignacio grabbed the younger man's shoulder. Daniel did as he was told, not realizing he really was winded. He'd been in a hurry.

"The doctor came back a few minutes ago. She's got appendicitis. They just took her up for surgery," Hilda explained, watching Daniel relax a bit.

Appendicitis. Well that explained some things.

"Okay. Were you about to go upstairs?" Daniel assumed. They nodded.

He followed them up to the seventh floor, where a petite nurse showed them to the waiting area. Daniel sat down for a few moments, immediately getting back up and pacing the small room. In the back of his mind, he knew everything would be okay, but hospitals still made him pretty nervous. Ignacio watched in amusement, knowing exactly how the young man was feeling.

"Daniel," Hilda got his attention, "how's DJ doing?" she needed to get his mind on something else for awhile.

"Oh, he's umm…" Daniel stopped pacing, leaning against the wall nearest them. "He's doing great. He's adjusted to school really well and…he's just enjoying being a nine year old._" _

Hilda nodded with a grin, "that's good. Nine is always a fun age," she told him. "So how was ice skating last night? I never got a chance to talk to Betty."

Daniel's eyes avoided hers as he let out a small sigh, clearing his throat. "Uh…it was fine. After I showed Betty how to actually stay on her feet for more than five minutes, she started skating pretty well. It was fun," he said, omitting the part about the kiss and the fact they'd skipped dinner altogether. He wasn't lying…they _were_ having a good time. Until he ruined the evening.

"Well I'm glad you two had-" Ignacio was interrupted by a very young looking doctor.

"Excuse me…are you Mr. Suarez?" he questioned. Ignacio stood, as did Hilda, "yes. How's my daughter?"

"She should be fine. The surgery went well and they're taking her to recovery now. You should be able to talk to her in about half an hour or so," the doctor told the group, who collectively let out a sigh of relief.

"Good. That's great," Hilda said.

"She'll be in room 7132…just right down that way," the doctor pointed down an opposite corridor. If you have any questions, just let the nurse know and they'll page one of us, okay?" the doctor told them. Ignacio shook his hand and thanked him, as he walked back to the surgical wing. Daniel was finally able to sit down, finally able to relax a little.

"See? I told you she'd be alright," Ignacio patted Daniel's shoulder reassuringly.

Daniel grinned briefly. Now all he needed Ignacio to do was reassure him about the state of his and Betty's friendship. Then maybe all would be right with the world.

-db-

He walked in her room about an hour later, watching her turn expectantly towards him. She gave him a timid smile and he grinned back.

"Hey," Daniel closed the door behind him. "Hey," she replied, her eyes following him.

"How're you feeling?"

"Definitely better than before," she answered truthfully. "I started having this awful stomach pain in the middle of the night. It was terrible. I got sick and when Hilda dropped by, she decided to take me to the hospital," Betty gave him an amended version.

"Well I'm glad she came when she did. I was worried when you didn't see you at your desk this morning," he replied. "I knew something was up…I don't think you've ever been late for work."

A small grin tugged at her lips, "thanks for coming to see me," she said, glancing at him.

"Well I might as well be here worried about you than at work worried about you," Daniel pointed out.

"You didn't get too behind today without me, did you?" Betty asked, concerned. Daniel shook his head...she really was something else.

"Don't think about work. It's fine...things are under control, okay?" he placed his hand on her forearm reassuringly. Her eyes drifted to where their skin touched and Daniel removed his hand just as quickly as it had gotten there. He didn't know she'd be _this_ uncomfortable with his proximity.

Daniel stole a glance at her. He couldn't place the look on her face, but could tell she wasn't upset, which he guessed was a good thing.

"Look Betty," he began, after a minute or so of silence. She gazed at him, biting her lip. "I'm sorry. About what happened last night-"

"You don't have to explain. I understand," she cut him off, something she rarely does.

Daniel raised an eyebrow, looking her over curiously. "You do?"

"It was nothing…just a mistake…no worries," she said quickly, blushing as she glanced away. Daniel stared at her in disbelief, feeling his heart sink. Is that what she thought it was? A mistake?

Betty looked back up from her fingers, noting the indiscernible look on his face. She wasn't sure she wanted to know what he was thinking. She still felt the tingle on her lips from where his had touched hers hours before. Betty didn't want to think about what she felt when they kissed, because quite frankly, it scared her.

"Maybe...I just want things to go back to the way they were before. Can we do that?"

Daniel didn't think that was possible. He was in way too deep. But he didn't want to press the issue with her, especially since it seemed his previous conclusion of one-sided feelings was seeming more plausible by the second. Things would likely be better this way anyhow. He'd just push his feelings aside every time she crossed his mind - so almost every other minute of everyday. Yeah, that would be a piece of cake. "Umm...yeah. We can."

- - -

Daniel held the front door of his condo open for DJ that evening, letting out a deep sigh. He loosened his tie, running a hand over his face. He really needed a drink, but didn't want to do that in front of his son.

"Eh...what is a matter, Papa?" DJ looked up at him concerned, bookbag in hand. Daniel cleared his throat, giving him a small grin.

"I'm fine. Just a lot on my mind today, that's all," he crossed his arms over his chest as a thought occurred to him. "Hey, I've got an idea...you've got a school break coming up next weekend right?" Daniel wondered. DJ thought about it, then nodded, watching Daniel start to pace.

"How about you and I get away for a few days? Have some guy time...just the two of us," he suggested, watching DJ's face light up. Daniel smirked at this, knowing he had his answer.

"Great! Anywhere in particular you want to go?"

"Disneyworld!" he exclaimed, not giving it a second thought.

"You know, I thought that's what you'd say. Disneyworld it is, then," Daniel smirked at the young boy, big blue eyes staring into his excitedly.

"Alright...go ahead and get out of your school clothes and we'll figure something out for dinner," he told him, watching as DJ literally skipped to his bedroom.

This trip would be good for the both of them...he needed to clear his mind of the one woman he couldn't get out of his head. What better place than Disneyworld?

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**I know what you're thinking...what's up with Betty? She'll come to her senses eventually...hope the chapter was okay otherwise...  
**

**Also don't know who watched this week's episode of UB...why are the writers giving us like, ZERO Daniel/Betty interaction? Have we done something to deserve the punishment? Everyone knows that platonic or otherwise, Daniel and Betty are the glue of the show. I digress...next chapter coming soon :0)  
**


	10. Chapter 10

**Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters, etc, etc...

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"Have you lost your mind?"

Betty glanced up from the couch, seeing Hilda's perplexed face. "What?"

"What? Betty, the man told you he had feelings for you in so many words and you stomp all over his heart? How could you do that?" Hilda put her hands on her hips. Betty knew telling her what happened was a bad idea.

"What? Daniel doesn't have feelings for me…that's… ridiculous," Betty started haphazardly rearranging things on the coffee table.

"Oh come on, Betty…haven't you seen the way he looks at you? Maybe you're just so used to it, you don't even notice," Hilda rolled her eyes, shaking her head.

"He doesn't look…at me in any way. He just looks at me like he always has," Betty argued, sitting down at the small table adjacent to the kitchen.

"So that means he's had feelings for you for awhile if it's the same look. Because believe me honey, if that man looked at me that way…let's just say Justin would have some little hermanitos running around here," Hilda raised an eyebrow matter-of-factly.

"Hilda!"

"Wha…? He would," she shrugged innocently, laughing at herself. "You know what Betty? You're probably right. Nothing says I wanna be friends like a passionate kiss on the ice," Hilda patted her baby sister on the shoulder.

"It wasn't pas-" she stopped herself mid-sentence, realizing that what she was about to say was completely and utterly false. It was passionate. It was the most amazing kiss she'd ever experienced and she couldn't stop thinking about it.

"Look sis, why don't you talk to him about it? Honestly this time. It clearly meant more to you than you let on at the hospital," Hilda advised her. Betty sighed, "but what if it didn't mean more to him? What if I'm right about it being a mistake?" she wondered.

Hilda placed a reassuring hand on her shoulder. "Then you guys acknowledge you both made a mistake and try to move past it. I wouldn't be telling you to talk to him if I didn't believe there was more to it. You'll never know till you try, right?"

Betty gave her sister a grin, nodding slightly in agreement. "Right."

- -

Betty knocked lightly on Daniel's condo door, waiting a few moments before raising her hand again. The door swung open and Daniel appeared on the other side, surprise in his eyes.

"Hey," she gave him a small grin.

"Hey..." he replied, "how're you feeling?" he wondered. She nodded, stepping inside when he motioned for her to come in.

"I'm good..." Betty glanced around at the clothes strewn about.

"Sorry about the mess," he apologized, picking some of DJ's items up off the floor, "...DJ and I are taking a trip."

"Yeah I heard from Marc," she glanced down at her hands. "I'm sure you guys will have fun."

"I hope so," he watched her brush hair out of her face. "So what brings you by?"

She let out a sigh, "I need to talk to you about some things..." she began, placing the small purse on his end table. Daniel rubbed the back of his neck, "I thought we already talked about things," his gaze fell on hers.

"Daniel…just hear me out, okay? What I said before…I didn't mean it," she told him.

"What?" she'd caught him off guard.

"When I said I wanted things to go back to how they were before…between us. Well…that's not entirely true," Betty admitted, staring into the blue eyes focused on her.

"It's…it wasn't?" Daniel swallowed hard. "Then why'd you say it?" she'd been confusing him entirely too much as of late, and he didn't like it one bit.

She shrugged, letting out a sigh. "I don't know. I got scared. When you kissed me that night…I got scared because I felt something. Something I'd never felt before. I thought it'd be easier to deal with if I just pushed all those feelings aside, but it's not. I've been pushing my feelings aside for months now and it hasn't gotten me very far," Betty confessed, swallowing over a lump in her throat. Daniel stood anchored to the spot in his living room, pulse racing.

"So you…didn't think the kiss was a mistake?" he tried to grasp at his thoughts, wanting to make sure he knew what she was getting at. She shook her head no.

"Why did you kiss me, Daniel?" his head shot up from the hardwood floor. It was a simple enough question. Complicated emotions came with it.

"Because…it's something I've wanted to do for a long time. A really long time," he stated. "I wasn't just doing it for the hell of it. I…" Daniel paused, taking a deep breath. "I have deep feelings for you, Betty. It's been driving me crazy trying to keep them bottled up. _You've_ been driving me crazy."

She couldn't help but to smile at him. He was quite cute when he got all rattled. She took a few steps in his direction, low heels clicking against the floor as she closed the gap between them. "Well you've been driving me a little crazy too," Betty said.

He let out a nervous laugh, stuffing his hands in the pockets of his sweats. "I have?"

"Yes," she answered, glancing back up from the bracelet on her wrist. "I have deep feelings for you too. I just…had so many other things going on, with Henry leaving and then Gio stepped in the picture…I never stepped back to look at the one constant in my life. The one who was always there…even if he was driving me bonkers," she let out a lighthearted laugh, watching his grin widen. "It took me awhile to realize it…but that man is you."

Betty smirked at the flabbergasted look on the face of the man before her. She took a small step to him, resting her hands on his chest. Betty tiptoed, brushing her lips against his. He leaned into her slightly, then stepped back. "Wait," he breathed deeply.

"What?" Betty looked up at him confused.

"I'm not good enough for you, Betty. I'm just gonna mess this up. I know I am," he admitted, his eyes cast away.

"Now why would you say that?" she crossed her arms over her chest.

"Because...I don't exactly have the greatest track record with women. If something goes wrong...I don't want it to ruin our friendship," he shrugged, leaning against the back of the couch.

"Daniel, do you really think we can go back to being just friends? I didn't really believe it when I said it in the hospital...and I don't believe it now," she told him.

"No. I just don't want to hurt you. You don't deserve that," he said sincerely, gazing into her eyes.

"Let me decide what I deserve, okay?"

"Betty-"

"How do I get you to shut up?" She smirked, pulling on his t-shirt and bringing him down to closer to her. She kissed him hungrily, savoring the feeling of his lips on hers. He tangled his hand in her hair, resting it on her neck. He stopped kissing her momentarily, his blue eyes connected to hers.

"Sometimes, when you stop looking, you find everything you've ever wanted and needed right under your nose," Betty looked up at him, resting her hands on his chest. "I think this is one of those times."

Daniel grinned at her, caressing her cheek. "Really?"

"Really," she replied, feeling his lips against hers and kissing him passionately.

DJ peeked his head around the corner, watching the scene unfold before him. He turned around and smiled to himself, having a sneaking suspicion that someone would be joining them on their trip.

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**Thanks for reading everyone! I'm so sad Ugly Betty is going off the air, and even if we don't get our perfect Daniel/Betty ending, there are more than enough on this website to satisfy :o) Please review!**


	11. Epilogue

**Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters, etc, etc...

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"Hi…Dr. Jamison. This is Daniel Meade. How've you been?" The older gentleman recognized the voice immediately, leaning back in his leather chair.

"Hello, Daniel. I've been well. And you?" Dr. Jamison heard something in the young man's voice, something he couldn't quite identify. He certainly didn't sound as awful as when he'd rushed out of his office.

"I'm great. Betty and I are great," the doctor could hear Daniel smiling. This young woman really was something else.

"Betty? So you two worked things out…that's marvelous, Daniel. I'm happy for you," he replied.

"Thanks, doc. I owe a lot of it to you. It's been a bumpy road…I'm glad you were there to help me steer clear of some potholes," Daniel laughed, making the doctor grin.

"Well, I definitely don't deserve all of the credit. I just try to help my patients one day at a time. So, I gather this means you want to discontinue our sessions?" he concluded.

"All is well in my world at the moment…so I'd have to say yes. Thanks again for all your advice," Daniel told him.

"You're welcome. Take care of yourself, Daniel," Dr. Jamison said.

"I will. And if all goes as planned, I'll invite you to the wedding in a couple of years," Daniel joked.

"Sounds even better…I look forward to hearing from you then…goodbye," Dr. Jamison ended the call, placing the phone back on the desk.

- - - db- - -

Daniel shifted on the large couch in his living area, his eyes adjusting to the light from the TV. The credits were rolling…he must've dosed off. Another movie night gone awry.

He glanced down at the head of thick brown hair, its owner sleeping soundly on his chest. Daniel's eyes traveled down the length of the sofa, stopping on Betty's Cinderella-themed socks, one securely curled under her, the other resting sideways on his leg. He grinned at this, the intimacy of it all.

He turned his head and saw DJ, sprawled on the loveseat, snoring quietly. Daniel had agreed to let him stay up and watch the movie with them, though he only lasted through the first twenty minutes. He reached for the shawl resting on the spine of the sofa, draping it over them.

Betty moved slightly, breathing in deeply but not waking up. Daniel draped an arm around her, gently placing a kiss on her forehead.

"I love you," he whispered to her, tactfully removing her glasses so they'd be out of harm's way. "Love you too," he heard Betty mumble, and smiled.

He leaned his head back onto the pillow, a content sigh escaping his lips as he closed his eyes. If this is what pure, unadulterated happiness felt like, Daniel could surely get used to it.

-_end_

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**Thanks so much for reading & reviewing!**


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